GCF '23 2000x500

GEOINT Community Forum:

The GEOINT Advantage:
Increasing, Maintaining, Protecting 

November 28-29, 2023

Nov. 28 Unclassified Program
Nov. 29 Classified Program

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Allder Auditorium
7500 GEOINT Drive Springfield, VA 22150-7500

One Day / Both Days 

$250 / $499 USGIF Member/Industry
$300 / $599 Non-Member/Industry

$75 / $149 USGIF Member Academia/Student
$99 / $199  USGIF Non-Member Academia/Student

$99 / $199USGIF Member Non-Profit
$125 / $249
Non-Member Non-profit
Free  Government Attendees

Registration Closes for International Attendees November 9 at 12 pm EST
Registration Closes for All Attendees November 16 at 12 pm EST 

Sponsorship Opportunities

Parking Information

Two-day event*

Join USGIF on November 28-29 for a GEOINT Community Forum on the topic of "The GEOINT Advantage: Increasing, Maintaining, Protecting," where you can engage with fellow professionals, thought leaders, and decision-makers on what is required to sustain the U.S. geospatial intelligence advantage in the years ahead.

For decades, our GEOINT advantage has been a foundational pillar of U.S. national security strategy, strengthened by remarkable advancements in capabilities across space, cyberspace, and terrestrial domains. However, strategic competitors pose formidable challenges to this advantage. Whether it’s addressing cybersecurity concerns, enhancing space situational awareness, or safeguarding intellectual property, it's imperative that the GEOINT community work holistically to ensure the longevity of this critical national edge.

 

*The Tuesday program will be unclassified, while the Wednesday program will be classified TS/Rel FVEY. 

CONFIRMED GUEST SPEAKERS AND PANELISTS

AGENDA 

28 November: Unclassified Day

8:00-9:00  Arrival, Breakfast, and Exhibits

9:00-9:15 Welcome Remarks: Christy Monaco, Vice President of Programs, USGIF

9:15-10:00 Keynote: Dr. Alan MacDougall, Director of Science and Technology, Defense Intelligence Agency

10:00-10:45 Panel: Building Resiliency Through Partnerships 

This panel explores the strategic intersections through which the GEOINT community leverages powerful partnerships with international allies and commercial entities to grow our advantage and build resiliency. Discover how collaborative efforts amplify access to cutting-edge technologies, diverse datasets, and innovative methodologies, ensuring a sustained competitive edge. Join the discussion to uncover success stories, discuss challenges, and unearth the potential of such partnerships for GEOINT advantage.

Moderator: Brian Weeden, Ph.D., Director of Program Planning, Secure World Foundation

Panelists:

  • Luke Fischer, Chief Executive Officer, SkyFi
  • Maria Muse-Duncan, Director, Commercial Capabilities Discovery Office, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  • Sanjay Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Geospatial World
  • Prashant Shukle, President, Global Geospatial Group and Board Chair, Open Geospatial Consortium 

10:45-11:00  Networking Break 

11:00-12:00  Panel: Legal and Policy Frameworks Serving GEOINT Advantage   

This panel of leaders from government, academia, and industry will consider the existing legal and policy framework for geospatial information and discuss possible changes that would take into account how other nations are approaching such matters. Join this panel for a thought-provoking discussion of how a legal and policy framework that was built for different technologies and for a nation that held “first mover advantage” might be refreshed.

Moderator: Kevin Pomfret, Space and Spatial Corporate and Transaction Attorney, Williams Mullen 

Panelists: 

  • Joshua Delmonico, Executive Director, Federal Geographic Data Committee 
  • Col Matt Holston, USSF, Director of National Security Space Policy, National Space Council
  • Jerry Johnston, Ph.D., Managing Director, Deloitte
  • Kristin St. Peter, Deputy General Counsel, Aerospace Corporation

12:00-1:00  Lunch Break in the Atrium and Exhibits 

1:00-1:45  Keynote: Paul Dean, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, U.S. Department of State

Q&A moderated by Annette Redmond, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intelligence Policy and Coordination, U.S. Department of State 

1:45-2:00  Networking Break 

2:00-3:00  Panel: GEOINT’s Increasingly Contested and Congested Space 

This panel of government and industry experts will discuss how the increasingly contested and congested space domain is impacting the traditional U.S. GEOINT advantagePanelists will consider how the space environment has changed as other nations and commercial entities are increasing their activities in the space domain. The goal of this panel is to help the program’s attendees understand how the U.S. and allied GEOINT communities will need to evolve given this changing operational and technological environment. 

Moderator: Rob Zitz, Co-Chair, USGIF Space Situational Awareness Working Group  

Panelists: 

  • Barbara Golf, Strategic Advisor, Space Domain Awareness, U.S. Space Force
  • Lisa Henke, Senior Technical Director, DMTS Defense & Space Programs, Maxar
  • Jer Chyi Liou, Ph.D., Chief Scientist for Orbital Debris, National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
  • Michael Usowski, Senior Defense Intelligence Analyst for Space/Counterspace, Defense Intelligence Agency

3:00-4:00  Panel: Advantage—Team GEOINT  

Our people are the “superpower” behind the GEOINT community’s successes.  Join this panel of community experts who will address how industry, government, and academia are working together to ensure that the GEOINT workforce has the skills and abilities that will fuel the GEOINT advantage in the years to come.   

Moderator: VADM Robert Sharp (Ret.), Former Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Panelists: 

  • Ichesia Veal, Analysis Modeling Orchestrator, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  • Tom Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, EVONA
  • Cynthia Snyder, Assistant Director of National Intelligence for Human Capital, Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

4:00-4:15  Closing Remarks 

29 November: Classification: TS/Rel FVEY

7:30-8:30  Registration Check-in, Conference Center Badging, and Breakfast and Exhibits 

8:30-10:00 NGA Daily Ops/Intel Brief (Note: Attendance for this portion of the agenda will require TS//SCI clearance.)

10:00-10:15  Networking Break

10:15-11:15 Moderated Discussion: GEOINT Space and Ground Architecture Update 

This discussion with two leaders from NGA and NRO will provide a comprehensive update on the dynamic landscape of GEOINT space and ground architectures. They will explore the latest advancements in satellite technologies, ground station networks, and data processing frameworks. Engage with experts as they unveil the transformative potential of these architectures in enhancing geospatial intelligence collection, analysis, and dissemination.

Moderator: Mike Taylor, Consulting Practice Manager, Oracle Government Defense and Intelligence 

Panelists: 

  • S. Didi Kuo, Ph.D., Chief Architect, Geospatial Intelligence Systems Acquisition Directorate, National Reconnaissance Office  
  • Shelby Pierson, Deputy Associate Director for Operations, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

11:15-12:15  Panel: Responsible Use of AI for GEOINT Workflows:   

In the rapidly evolving GEOINT discipline, the surge of AI technologies, including large language models and other generative AI innovations, presents both unprecedented opportunities and challenges to community tradecraft standards. This panel brings together industry leaders, AI experts, and GEOINT practitioners to delve into the responsible incorporation of AI within GEOINT workflows, using real-world examples as the basis for debate of what “could” and what “should” be adopted.  By showcasing real-world workflow examples, this panel aims to illuminate the practical application of AI in enhancing GEOINT processes while addressing critical issues such as data privacy, bias mitigation, and transparency. 

Moderator: Jim McCool, Former Director, Data and Digital Innovation, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Panelists:

  • Brady Cline, Sales Director, Enterprise Analytics and AI/ML, Esri
  • Anna Rubinstein, Ph.D., Chief of Responsible AI, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency 
  • Alice Zimmerman, Chief of Data and Decision Sciences, Office of the Director of National Intelligence 

12:15-1:15 Lunch Break in the Atrium and Industry Exhibits

1:15-2:00  Keynote: Chirag Parikh, Executive Secretary, National Space Council

Q&A moderated by Stacy Kubicek, Vice President and General Manager, Sensors and Global Sustainment, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fires Control, USGIF Board Member

2:00-3:00  Panel:  Assuring the GEOINT Advantage

Gain exclusive insights into the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's important efforts to assure GEOINT Advantage. This panel unveils the agency’s initiatives to ensure data integrity, source credibility, and analytical rigor across geospatial intelligence. Join us to explore how NGA is pioneering assurance methodologies to bolster the reliability and impact of GEOINT products and services. 

Moderator: Wendy Walbrun, Deputy Director, GEOINT Assurance, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Panelists:

  • Nicholas V. Olijnyk, Ph.D., Senior Technical Advisor, Office of GEOINT Advantage, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  • Anna Rubenstein, Ph.D., Chief of Responsible AI, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  • Ichesia Veal, Analysis Modeling Orchestrator, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

3:00-3:15  Closing Remarks 

*ALL TIMES ARE IN ET; AGENDA SUBJECT TO CHANGE

THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS

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